blue out west

Too true, and look at what the youngsters have done for Arsenal. I'm happy we have smart managers who make selections based on the real world and not back pages. Back on topic I've been waiting for years to see Mikel's passing and other attacking traits utilized. He's so strong you naturally want to see that strength deployed in the best part of the pitch but AVB has found a good system to make use of both his athleticism and technique.

I guess deduction isn't really your thing. Ramires wasn't bossing shit he was getting up and down the pitch as he does. Mikel is the one who sits in the middle and breaks up + starts attacks. It seems that if someone isn't flailing around or doing fancy moves all the time and scoring then he's a worthless footballer. So boring to talk with you people.

I don't think he's not at all ready for the PL but I wouldn't say he would be a top DM in the PL on the back of 2 good CC outings (where he had almost zero pressure) and 1 good home game vs Genk who is even weaker than the CC squads used by Everton and Fulham. As for those stats Romeu has a really small sample size against poor opposition in some of the least consequential games that we've been involved in. In those those games he hasn't really been under consistent pressure at any time, whereas Mikel was the motor that kept us in control vs QPR with 9 men. On the subject of forward passes you should look at the chalkboards and also remember how those games were. Forward passing success rate from a DM is highly affected by the kind of pressure and formation being played by the defense. You really want to see Bertrand play over Ashley? Are you mad? I can understand playing Bertrand and Romeu over Ashley and Mikel for squad rotation purposes against weaker opposition but seriously... that's crazy. Comparing Utd to Blackburn... Kean > Fergie? Heh. Seriously thats a pretty funny post.

Yeah but if England were to win such a match you know who the papers would be praising.......... man u haha

Not sure what game you watched as we generally bossed possession and moved the ball around anywhere we wanted, creating chances at the pace we chose to. Blackburn just did well in their last ditch defending, the only time they asked any questions were on a few random counters.

He'll start and score Lots of pace and he'll get good service.. glad we might get to see him play more as well

Well Mikel does do a better job than Romeu, its not really my opinion. Valencia was one game where he could've been better but he didn't exactly get a lot of help either. He still probably made less mistakes in that first half then Romeu did in stoppage time vs Blackburn. Where is his pace anyway? If Romeu is faster than Mikel the difference is quite small. How many better players than Mikel @ DM? @ CHOULO19 ...and I'm not saying Romeu is shit because Mikel is a better player. I wonder what "great performances" you're referring too... I thought he had a mature and very effective game vs a weak visiting Genk side... Romeu is and will continue to get time in PL games but when you come on @ 90' in a 1-0 game and immediately concede a dangerous FK its not the greatest way to make your case. Concerning the whole tempo issue people have with Mikel, they'd be well served to rewatch his games this season and compare that to the role he played for CA and JM. Also, I'm sure AVB is asking the same of Romeu and Mikel tactically and he's simply playing who's best for the role. If there's chalkboards to compare their passing I'm sure they look pretty similar in terms of horizontal vs vertical.

Romeu isn't better in any way though, thats the thing. He has about the same amount of pace but is smaller and not as strong. Also a good passer of the ball and quite composed but those are Mikel's best qualities. I see Romeu as being a bit more of a natural defender than the converted attacking mid Mikel and for his age is the better tackler (and defender overall). The point is I don't see a situation where Romeu should be played instead of Mikel. I think the reason why AVB plays the formation he does with defense and midfield is because we have such a good box to box in Ramires and a versatile centre/left mid in Lamps. WIth Mikel playing the centre space between and behind those 2, they can move freely and link with the fullbacks in attack. AVB is also having Mikel circulate the ball around to start attacking moves and retain possession if a more advanced player gets too much pressure. In possession it looks like he's playing a Pique type role with the 2 CBs behind and to the side w/ both fullbacks advancing, so it ends up with like a 2-1-4-3. I like that the way we're playing provides a lot of width and every game it seems are spacing is getting much better.

Romeu, the guy who coming on in just for stoppage time made more mistakes than Mikel did through 90. So sick and tired of the Mikel bashing. There is nothing Romeu does better, people are just on his nuts because he's from La Masia.

Stuff like this completely mystifies me. Mikel is an attacking mid/centre mid who was converted to DM. Also, when he plays DM people should expect him to play the position, its not the DM role to make forward runs off the ball and be aggressive with movement. A DM is supposed to move into space left behind and cover for players going forward. Mikel is always the only mid that doesn't have the license to pretty much pass and move as he pleases or make runs into the box. Romeu would've gotten out of position vs Valencia as he doesn't have as good ability to read moves and wouldn't done as well under pressure. I like Romeu but he has a lot to grow, and Essien is more like Ramires than Mikel (box to box not DM). If he passed forward more he wouldn't be a DM, he'd be a totally unnecessary deep lying playmaker. If Mikel wasn't primarily played in a holding position then it would put undue workload and make a waste of players like Lamps and Mata. I think he's clearly the best DM we have and for good reason, maybe there's Xabi Alonso ahead of him in the world but he is pretty damn good at the position. Not to say that he couldn't be quality played further up the pitch, but we need him more back at DM.

You said you can't remember seeing him send in a cross but he does it all the time. maybe you haven't noticed but our opponents always load the defenses up on the left, or do you really think bosingwa and ramires are better passers and shooters than ashley and lamps??? Before mata came, almost every ball delivered into the area was from malouda. I guess you'd rather see players give away possession with stupid forward passes into areas with 3 or 4 defenders. glad you aren't managing.

Why do we even have defenders??? Why don't we just start 5 forwards and 5 attacking mids? Mikel plays the way he's instructed to play, just like all the players. His job isn't to give possession away, period. Alonso and Busquets play in a really weak league which barely pressures any DMs ever and also the games have a very slow pace compared to the EPL. So its fine for them to ping balls up field because there is space and if possession is lost no one is going to threaten on the counter. I mean, this stuff goes without saying...

Retention tactics? He's originally an attacking midfielder, do you know what instruction is? Its something a manager gives players.... Do you know of any successful high level squad that plays 4-3-3 without a DM? Hell, how about any successful squad regardless of formation? We've looked so impenetrable on set pieces so far this season though so I understand why you'd rather have a small light player in the mid instead of a big strong one.

If he was the man to do the job he would've been selected. Ramires and Meireles ARE NOT TALL. They are shorter and lighter players. Meireles especially is probably the least strong or physical midfielder we have. I've been making points and comments about football, you've been taking cute little personal jabs so you really shouldn't say anything about childishness.

AVB is so dumb selecting Mikel over Meireles against Everton, a team who's only advantages are height strength and physicality.. and have a lot of threats from set pieces. Yes, he should have selected the shorter far less athletic man. How are you not a manager.

???????????? what??????????? surely you aren't serious

He's got a reallyyyyyyy long way to come anywhere close to Lampard's technical quality but if he gets on that level of passing and finishing he'll be the top box to box in the world

he's great at the slimy and corrupt back door dealings and pressuring the FA as well as refs. Also he's been lucky to have big transfer budgets and big money to spend on deep scouting networks which have given him pick of the top young players for decades.

So basically you expect Mikel to play as a box to box mid and DMF at the same time without anyone to bail him out if he gets caught forward... No one has the combination of speed stamina and strength to play that role which is why no one in the world does. You're being asinine. Do you know why Mikel was selected by AVB?? its very easy to see i just went back and saw you were honestly comparing Xavi to Mikel when they don't play remotely the same role.. what sport are you watching?? Mikel is like biscuits would be if he was masculine.

Are you serious? Raul is defensively and physically waif-like compared to Mikel and while Raul maybe a bit more direct he isn't a better passer of the ball. Oriol on the other hand is not even close to the class of Mikel, he could get there but right now he's inferior to Mikel in every way. We're trying to play Barca or Porto style possession football and in such a system you must have a quality DMF. its just fact.

Xavi also plays the way he's been schooled to since a teenager, in the same system completely based around him and his style, and his team gets totally protected. I for one didn't enjoy watching that game very much, the whole tiki taka style I find reallyyyyyyy boring and I don't think I was alone going by how silent the bridge was for stretches at a time.

Messi still the most overrated sportsman in the world... I love it when people who hero worship (especially managers) pay the price. they build the argentina side around a big name and they suck. maybe they should think about football as something involving 11 a side not 1 + 10 bystanders

Balotelli Aguero Silva and to a lesser extent Milner. The rest are overrated or total cunts imo

The injury he had is common in the sport I grew up watching-- Hockey. It typically takes 18 months to recover fully from it and its been like 8 months since Lamps came back. I'm sure a lot of it is to do with fitness.

Last season his injuries made him fatigued and affected his mentality in my opinion. Now he's healthy and also has the Portuguese manager, his confidence is high which is great... I just don't think he's really evolving as a player though nor will he.